Home Care Advice

Go It Alone or Hire a Pro? Installing a New Fence

Depending on the type of fence you want, installation can be simple, or it could require some heavy lifting. It’s certainly a task some homeowners could do themselves. However, it’s not for everyone.

It’s OK to do it yourself if:

You are installing a decorative garden fence or a temporary fence with “spike” posts that don’t require digging.

You know how to prepare quick-mix concrete, if necessary.

You’re able to dig postholes, and you have access to the appropriate tools.

You’re fencing in a relatively small area, and you have someone to help you.

You should hire a pro if:

You need to fence in a large area requiring multiple postholes.

Soil or drainage conditions make proper post installation a challenge.

You’re installing a large or heavy type of fence, like a tall wooden picket fence.

Installing decorative fencing in your garden or yard is a fairly basic project that most homeowners can accomplish in a weekend. However, if you’re considering a chain-link, picket or prefabricated vinyl fence with posts that must be securely anchored in the ground, hiring a professional is the best way to ensure that the job is done right.

American Home Shield is providing the information for general guidance only. Due to the general nature of the property maintenance and improvement advice in this material, neither American Home Shield Corporation, nor its licensed subsidiaries assumes any responsibility for any loss or damage which may be suffered by the use of this information.